Internship Goals & Objectives

MPH Foundational Competencies, Goals, and Objectives

MPH Foundational Competency #1 [Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context].

One of the primary developments that will be completed is to gather information from RMHH families, as it pertains to the level of food insecurity they may be facing as well as gather information on nutritional needs, by creating a self-administered questionnaire. By conducting an extensive literature review on an effective food insecurity evaluation chart, this will allow for a better understanding of the level of hunger in RMHH families along with food preferences and how to best address the issue.

Goal #1: To gain experience and skills in data collection methods to obtain evidence-based information on proper nutritional meals for RMHH families with diverse backgrounds (Foundational Competency – Evidence-Based Approaches in Public Health)

Objectives:

- 1a: Performed an extensive literature review on methods used to create a self-administered questionnaire based on families with food insecurity and for a better understanding of nutritional needs and types of foods requested.

- 1b: Created and pilot tested one data collection method to gather RMHH families’ information as it pertains to sociodemographic, barriers to accessing food, and level of food insecurity of families during their stay.

MPH Foundational Competency #2 [Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue].

To ensure that current and new community partner relationships remain an integral part of the food and hunger initiatives, recommendations will be established based on data gathered from the organizational partnerships. This information will be gathered during scheduled meetings with key community partners, internship supervisor, program coordinator, and other key stakeholders that work closely with the community partners.

Goal #2: To engage multiple community partners, such as the Houston Food Bank and H-E-B, to participate in the JoyFULL Eats initiative that will combat food insecurities among hospital caregivers and families by creating a robust system thinking approach to a healthy meal program (Foundational Competency – Systems Thinking: Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.)

Objectives:

- 2a: Participated in at least 2 meetings with existing community partners to develop strong partner relationships with stakeholders and to discuss the healthy meal program and variables associated with the health issue of food insecurity.

- 2b: Engaged in one meeting with at least one potential new community partner with a focus on ending food insecurity among the hospital caregiver population.

MPH Foundational Competency #3 [Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention].

The development of a project plan for the 21-item menu along with menu cards will be designed. Analysis of data based on hospital caregiver food insecurity literature will be conducted with data comparison in RMHH families. In addition, gathering data from hospital staff who work closely with these families will also add to the data being collected from families beginning their initial stay with RMHH. A more extensive focus on cultural competence as it relates to food preference will also be completed during this time.

Goal #3: To decrease hunger faced by caregivers and families by developing a project plan for the JoyFULL Eats Dinner Menu project (a 21-item menu for RMHH families) (Foundational Competency – Planning & Management to Promote Health: Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention)

Objectives:

- 3a: Met with the site supervisor at least once a week during the duration of the internship to discuss project plan development.

- 3b: Produced a multi-step guide for the project plan by gathering data from an extensive literature review.

- 3c: Created a proposal for a 21-item menu plan based on the data gathered from literature review and site supervisor discussions.

- 3d: Provided at least one recommendation for consideration as it pertains to cultural and ethnic food preferences for the 21-item menu.

Community Health Competencies, Goals, and Objectives

Community Health Competency #1 [Describe factors that influence the process by which people learn].

It is imperative that RMHH families, as well as community partners and volunteer groups, understand the full scope of the health issue and program being addressed. By doing so, key stakeholders will continue to support food and hunger initiatives that help to eliminate food insecurities among the targeted population. Researching various methods to create enjoyable and educational opportunities for families and community partners will be part of improving and strengthening the environment for all beneficiaries.

Goal #1: To enhance the level of health education in food insecurity of RMHH families and community partners (Community Health Competency – Describe factors that influence the process by which people learn).

Objectives:

- 4a: Reviewed existing data on food insecurity prevalence for RMHH families and gathered information on helpful resources for families that will inform them of additional assistance outside of the organization in the event they need further support.

- 4b: Participated in at least 2 meetings with community partners and volunteer groups to discuss the benefits of the JoyFULL Eats Dinner Menu program.

Community Health Competency #2 [Design methods for collecting primary data to determine needs].

While RMHH currently collects internal data for operational purposes, they do not have a method that specifically addresses hunger at the organizational level. During the internship, an efficient data collection tool will be created and an opportunity to collect this information will be available by means of the current assessment of families.

Goal #2: To enhance the data collection methods to elevate the impact of the food and hunger projects (Community Health Competency – Design methods for collecting primary data to determine needs).

Objectives:

- 5a: Designed an enhanced data collection method that is efficient and easy to manage for continual use of the self-administered questionnaire for future RMHH guests

- 5b: Developed an easy-to-follow project plan for the 21-item menu cards for the organization to implement for future food and hunger programs.